Methods and Systems for Advanced Spaceport Information Management

• US 20080017759A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jacobson, Craig, Fussell, Ronald, Meade, Phillip, Halpin, Paul, Meier, Gary, Ely, Donald, Blackwell-Thompson, Charlie
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/171.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/52 Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 5/00 Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements B64G3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/008 on air- or spacecraft, railway rolling stock or sea-going vessels

Abstract

Advanced spaceport information management methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes coupling a test system to the payload and transmitting one or more test signals that emulate an anticipated condition from the test system to the payload. One or more responsive signals are received from the payload into the test system and are analyzed to determine whether one or more of the responsive signals comprises an anomalous signal. At least one of the steps of transmitting, receiving, analyzing and determining includes transmitting at least one of the test signals and the responsive signals via a communications link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility. In one particular embodiment, the communications link is an Internet link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility (e.g. a launch facility, university, etc.).

Claims

1. A system for testing a payload, comprising:

a front end configured to be operatively coupled to and communicate with the payload;

a back end coupled to the front end, wherein at least one of the back end and the front end are configured to provide a condition signal to the payload to emulate a condition that the payload experiences during an operation;

a user interface coupled to the back end via a communications link and configured to enable a user to provide inputs to and receive outputs from the back end; and

a data repository operatively coupled to at least one of the back end and the front end, wherein at least one of the operative couplings between the front end and the payload, and the back end and the front end, and the data repository and the at least one of the back end and the front end, includes a second communications link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility, and wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the data repository are further configured to provide notifications indicating a completion of a predetermined test activities to the user via the user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a system management feature integrated into at least one of the front end, the back end, and the data repository.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the data repository are further configured to store data generated during testing during a period when the communication link is interrupted, and to transmit the stored data via the communication link when the communication link is re-connected.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the payload data repository are further configured to execute a software routine that includes a software wizard for at least one of planning a test configuration, identifying test configuration requirements, posting test event milestones, generating a schedule, and generating a report.

5. A method of testing a payload, comprising:

coupling a test system to the payload;

transmitting one or more test signals that emulate an anticipated condition from the test system to the payload;

receiving one or more responsive signals from the payload into the test system;

analyzing one or more responsive signals;

determining whether one or more of the responsive signals comprises an anomalous signal,

wherein at least one of the transmitting one or more test signals, receiving one or more responsive signals, analyzing one or more responsive signals, and determining whether one or more of the responsive signals comprises an anomalous signal includes transmitting at least one of the test signals and the responsive signals via a communications link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility; and

providing an indication of a result of the anomalous signal determination to a user via a user interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting at least one of the test signals and the responsive signals via a communications link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility includes transmitting at least one of the test signals and the responsive signals via an Internet link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein coupling a test system to the payload includes coupling a test system to the payload wherein the test system and the payload are located at different remote facilities.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting one or more test signals includes transmitting at least one of a command signal and a test data signal.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein providing an indication of a result of the anomalous signal determination includes identifying the occurrence of an anomalous condition to a system operator via a display.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein providing an indication of a result of the anomalous signal determination includes transmitting a nonconformance report to a remotely located data storage facility.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising querying a system operator whether to retest a nonconforming condition.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising troubleshooting a nonconforming condition via the communication link between the payload processing facility to the remotely located facility.

13. An avionics software tasking model for testing a payload, comprising:

a hardware driver layer; and

a payload test system operatively coupled to the hardware driver layer, the payload test system including;

a front end adapted to be operatively coupled to and communicate with the payload;

a back end operatively coupled to the front end, wherein at least one of the back end and the front end are configured to provide a condition signal to the payload to emulate a condition that the payload experiences during an operation; and

a payload data repository operatively coupled to at least one of the back end and the front end,

wherein at least one of the operative couplings between the front end and the payload, and the back end and the front end, and the payload data repository and the at least one of the back end and the front end is adapted to include a communications link from a payload processing facility to a remotely located facility.

14. The avionics software tasking model of claim 13, further comprising a user interface configured to be operatively coupled to the back end via a second communications link, the user interface being configured to enable a user to provide inputs to and receive outputs from the back end.

15. The avionics software tasking model of claim 13, wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the payload data repository are further configured to provide notifications for the completion of predetermined test activities.

16. The avionics software tasking model of claim 13, wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the payload data repository are further configured to store data generated during testing during a period when the communication link is interrupted, and to transmit the stored data via the communication link when the communication link is re-connected.

17. The avionics software tasking model of claim 13, wherein at least one of the front end, the back end, and the data repository are further configured to execute a software routine that includes a software wizard for at least one of planning a test configuration, identifying test configuration requirements, posting test event milestones, generating a schedule, and generating a report.

18. A data management architecture configured for testing a payload, comprising:

a common infrastructure configured to perform at least one core function;

one or more modules operatively interfaced with the common infrastructure, the one or more modules including at least one of;

an input module configured to receive input data;

a test script generation module configured to generate a test script for testing the payload; and

an integration simulator module configured to provide simulation data to the payload; and

a configuration control module adapted to perform at least one of automated acceptance data package management, automated weight balance calculations, and generation of flight certification information; and

a communications link operatively coupled to at least one of the common infrastructure and the one or more modules, the communications link being configured to enable a payload developer at a remotely located facility to autonomously perform a payload test procedure of the payload, and to provide an indication of a result of the payload test procedure to the payload developer.

19. The data management architecture of claim 18, wherein the payload test procedure includes:

transmitting one or more test signals that emulate an anticipated condition from a test system to the payload;

receiving one or more responsive signals from the payload into the test system;

analyzing one or more responsive signals; and

determining whether one or more of the responsive signals comprises an anomalous signal, wherein at least one of the transmitting, receiving, analyzing, and determining comprises communicating via the communications link from a payload processing facility to the remotely located facility.

20. The data management architecture of claim 18, wherein the payload test procedure is further configured to communicate via the communications link from at least one of a first city to a second city, a first state to a second state, and a first country to a second country.

21. The data management architecture of claim 18, wherein the payload test procedure is further configured to at least one of identify an occurrence of an anomalous condition to a system operator via a display, query a system operator whether to generate a nonconformance report, transmit a nonconformance report to a remotely located data storage facility, query a system operator whether to retest a nonconforming condition, and troubleshoot a nonconforming condition via the communication link between the payload processing facility to the remotely located facility.

22. The data management architecture of claim 18, wherein the one or more modules includes an input module operatively coupled to a set of planning modules having at least one of a scheduling module, a requirement module, a procedure development module, a financial properties module, and a logistics planning module.

23. The data management architecture of claim 18, wherein the test script generation module is configured to receive requirements satisfaction information and to generate test scripts accordingly.

24. A data management architecture configured for testing a payload, comprising:

a common infrastructure configured to perform at least one core function;

one or more modules operatively interfaced with the common infrastructure, the one or more modules including at least one of;

an input module configured to receive input data;

a test script generation module configured to generate a test script for testing the payload;

an integration simulator module configured to provide simulation data to the payload; and

an artificial intelligence module configured to utilize at least one of inspection information, decision-support information, and environmental support information and to perform at least one of artificial vision functions and decision-support functions; and

a communications link operatively coupled to at least one of the common infrastructure and the one or more modules, the communications link being configured to enable a payload developer at a remotely located facility to autonomously perform a payload test procedure of the payload, and to provide an indication of a result of the payload test procedure to the payload developer.